Subject:
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rtl10 Service Pack 1: RCX Soccer
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.org.ca.rtltoronto
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Date:
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Wed, 16 Jan 2002 06:13:31 GMT
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Viewed:
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541 times
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After reading the idea presented by Rob in an earlier message, I'd like to
propose a new event between rtl10 and rtl11, a sort of rtlToronto Lite kind
of deal. The goal would be a fun event that doesn't involve too much work,
gives a light easy introduction to Mindstorms (ie, the kind someone like me
can handle) and is a lot of actual fun for the audience and competitors (ie,
not, press Start and sit back and crack open a cold one kind of rtl9 fun :)
Prologue:
This video has always impressed me:
http://peach.mie.utoronto.ca/events/lego/lego-092300-hockey2.mpg
I've always wanted to do this game, and we've always said, it's impossible
to play autonomously. BUT NOT REALTIME!
Idea:
We play RCX soccer using the Battlebricks BBRC system. The setup is like
this: We get a playfield and have two goals. Each team, which could be you
and a friend, sibling, parent/child, coworker etc, or another rtlToronto
member, fields two or three (can't figure out what works better) robots:
One/two players and a goalie. The goals are 3033 tubs on side. The ball
would be a tennis or squash ball (ping pong balls might be too
unpredictable)and the idea is to score goals on the other team. (Obvious, I
suppose)
A little bit more Chris-oriented variant of this is a Smackdown Soccer kind
of thing, where the robots are allowed to be meanies, ie, like Battlebots.
You might have one kicker, one goalie and a meanie to beat up on the
opponent running offense.
Technical:
The BBRC system uses multiple USB gamepads attached to a single host PC
which has a IR tower on it. The idea is that each team controls their
robots in realtime (unlike any other rtlToronto event), each player with
their own controller. The BBRC software AFAIK maps USB device events (ie,
DPad left, DPad right, Fire 1) to RCX events (ie, Message 1 is sent on DPad
Left being pressed) andt he RCXes are appropriately programmed to activate
on these messages (ie, if I receive Message 1, I drive A backwards, B
forwards; if I receive Message 3, I active C full power to kick the ball
with a kicking mechanism) You could be really crafty and implement more
functions if the USB pad has more buttons* (ie, Fire 6 spins the robot
around in a whirling dervish, Fire 7 kicks lightly, Fire 8 kicks hard,
Shoulder Fire Left kicks and turns left, Shoulder Fire Right kicks and turns
right etc)
* this is largely inspired by the sickeningly overfeatured Gravis
Xterminator Force USB gamepad Chris gave me earlier this week. It has a
forcefeedback analog proportional XY DPad, an analog proportional rudder,
and no less than 10 fire buttons.
This would be perhaps initially at some location on a weekend, or maybe a
single room at Lillian H Smith. Real casual.
Initial rules:
(ie, debate them)
-The robots must be small. 8x8" at maximum
-The robots can be meanies if desired (ie, flipping robots etc)
-One RCX per robot, two or three robots per team
Questions:
(Answer these in a followup post)
-Do you think this is a fun idea and would you want to participate?
-How many robots could you field (ie, how many RCXs do you own)?
-Could you bring a friend or can you form a team (ie, Team Bash Brothers?)
-Do you want custom robots or some sort of reference design?
-Do you have a USB gamepad/joystick?
-Do you have a USB hub?
I've got the hardware-I have a four port USB hub (ie, two pads per team) and
one USB gamepad (thanks Chris!), plus the requisite laptop. The USB
gamepads aren't expensive either:
http://www.compusmart.com/product.asp?CatalogID=160&StyleID=027210&ProductSearchString=gamepad
We only need like three extra anyways.
Benefits:
-Simple, brainless game that is a welcome rest after ProjectX and Monkeys.
-Easy to get into. Especially if we get Jin Sato's prototype hockey player
design and post instructions on how to build it, even little kids can enter
a robot.
-Adhoc games are relatively easy.
-Can be as violent as desired for those craving Plastic Dust.
Calum
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Message has 2 Replies:
 | | Re: rtl10 Service Pack 1: RCX Soccer
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| (...) I like, I like! I think it would be great to involve the builders in more than 'press start and watch it go'. (...) Yes! (...) Two. (...) Me and Iain can be team Martha Stewart. (The mechanically polite ones) (...) Uggh. Please don't make a (...) (23 years ago, 16-Jan-02, to lugnet.org.ca.rtltoronto)
| | | Re: rtl10 Service Pack 1: RCX Soccer
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| (...) why am i always the one who gets pegged as MR. Destructo?? Ok, cause maybe i am. ;) How much response was there to the manas idea. The one PC, and 6 game pads is an Ok idea. BUT the manas already exist for this purpose. can they be (...) (23 years ago, 16-Jan-02, to lugnet.org.ca.rtltoronto)
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